


No Escape

by WampusRoar13



Category: The Lion King (1994), The Lion King (2019), The Lion King (All Media Types)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Lioncest, M/M, Multi, Possessive!Mufasa, Protective!Mufasa, Scar Can Be Saved, Scar's Name is Taka
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-31
Updated: 2019-07-31
Packaged: 2020-07-28 04:03:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20057713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WampusRoar13/pseuds/WampusRoar13
Summary: Thanks to one cub with entirely too much energy, Mufasa's pride reunites with a long lost prince for good. Taka is saved from letting who he's become as Scar in the wilds, since his father attacked him and he started helping Sarabi, redefine his way of being.





	No Escape

Sweltering days were not uncommon during the dry season of the Pride Lands, actually they were quite the norm. So, on days like this one, it was not uncommon to find Mufasa’s pride, filled with zebra from the night before, and cloistering away from the heat, within Pride Rock’s cavern. It was sad that their queen was not present, but Sarabi would not bring Simba into the pride until that night, so that their family had time to bond with the young prince before the presentation the next morning, and until the heat resided she’d keep him safely wherever she had given birth. It was exciting that after a year as king, the first cubs of a new generation were joining them.

Beating the future king into the pride by a mere couple of weeks was the future queen of the hunt and Simba’s future mate, a little lioness named Nala. Her mother, Sarafina, had come to them from a neighboring pride whose king sought a truce from the Pride Lands, and the daughter’s high energy gave them all hope for a bright future. Even on a blistering day like today the cub’s energy proved steadfast as she explored their home, seeking out the other nooks and crannies of the rock, now that she was allowed to venture outside the cavern unattended.

Mufasa had hoped that the heat would entice his brother to return to the cool space and the pride’s down time, but so far he remained elusive. The night before had the king unsettled, his mate’s red eyes gazing at him fond but haunted, while the other lionesses frolicked in the background in post-hunt bliss. She told him that he couldn’t expect to let someone be mauled and then ignore them for weeks on end, and expect one dedication to fix it.

Up until that moment, Sarabi has seemed perfectly excited about the plan to dedicate Simba to his uncle and begin fixing this mess that Ahadi had left between them. Of course he was already aware that it was not going to fix everything immediately, but it still felt like a logical first step, before he removed the laws against consort coalitions their grandfather had put in place, following his own brother having gotten greedy and trying to usurp the throne. Mufasa had seen the growing sense of isolation that surrounded his little brother since their return from the wilds, and the attack, coupled with his own rise to rule, had made things worse. But, with the birth of his son, he would finally have the chance to close the chasm and make things right.

Yes, when his father had first injured the smaller lion, their mother used her final act as queen to make sure the king died in disgrace due to his own paranoia. Her favorite son only having been injured because the old lion thought the youngest lion was challenging his big brother, and Ahadi’s favored son, rather than offering advice to the bigger lion about his best friend, as Sarabi still was. After chasing his father from the Pride Lands, rather than executing him, also at his mother’s request, as she assumed her new role, since she was supposed to be the keeper of mercy among them. It was an act he wanted nothing more than to deny in his rage, but once their father was gone from the Pride Lands for good, it hadn’t seemed to matter anymore. 

His wife had let no one near her injured best friend since the attack. She had barely left his side when she wasn’t hunting for the first season after and he had only started venturing where she did not know when she started carrying at the start of the wet season. Even since his release from protective custody, his brother had isolated terribly. He came no closer to Pride Rock except for the heart of the wet season, when he slept around the back and only to keep from drowning.

Only Sarabi had known whatever cave or dwelling she took Taka to when he was initially injured. She has worried constantly, as she brought him food, that he would catch his death or lose the eye. Even their mother had not been permitted to know her youngest son’s location, Uru only tracking his down after his release from mother Sarabi.

The new king had tried to follow her a thousand times, not caring in the slightest if his brother was ashamed at having been so grievously injured by his own father. Mufasa had just wanted to see his brother alive. Instead he was always chased away and Taka was a ghost for the entire first year of his reign. The closest they had been during that time were the nights during the height of the previous season that the king spent huddled at the back wall, not sleeping, knowing the other lion was just on the other side.

The first glimpse that he’d gotten of his brother or the scar that now marred his face was just a moon cycle and a half ago, as everyone prepared for Sarabi to give birth. The king had taken to laying around back when he took to needing time alone, just comforted by the fact that it was Taka’s last known location. As was common with his prince of a brother, who always preferred solving his problems diplomatically rather than through force, he heard the prince before he saw him.

It had started with low grumbling growls from the tall grass that led up to Pride Rock, not anger but a sign of irritation that had the king thinking it was a lioness who had been unsuccessful on a solo hunt. It wasn’t until a scent that he would never forget, although it wasn’t as familiar now as it should have been, assaulted his nose, that Mufasa rapidly rolled onto his belly, his attention locked in the noise’s direction.

Predatory eyes instantly caught the moving strands that signalled where his incoming brother was. Taka had always been the better solo hunter, his size not giving away his presence every time they hunted in the wilds with only each other to depend on, but the prince was not trying to be stealthy upon his return. With the younger lion still hidden from view, the king’s eyes were free to spot Zazu flying directly above his brother, and was slightly saddened that their reunion would not be private, but still he was more relieved by the lion’s return.

As the pair got closer neither had noticed his presence, unsurprised by his scent being everywhere. Part of him yearned to stand and pounce in his excitement, but their mother had warned him that Taka had become more standoffish, especially with other males. So, he laid there and tried to make himself seem as small as possible and certainly non-threatening. The king had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing as his brother’s grumbling turned into his deep cultured lit attempting to do a mocking rendition of Sarabi’s voice.

“But you’re my best friend… this is the safest place… you can’t say no to me… you know how important this is…”

“And quite right the queen is in my opinion!” Zazu put in.

A large paw rose from the grass with a displeased roar, surprising the hornbill and causing him to dodge quickly for the ground and safety beyond the grass’ end, “This mess has gone on long enough; you and the king moping like love sick teenagers. Honestly, she should have put her foot down last season!”

The first swipe had been more playful irritation than anything, but seeing his brother emerge in a full body pounce onto the spot the bird had just been, pulled a full body laugh from Mufasa like nothing else could have. Unfortunately that called both’s attention to him, with Zazu flying over to hide behind him, and Taka sitting back on his haunches and his eyes weary as they drank in the older lion and king.

Their time in the wilds could never be recreated as they had existed then, they had known that even as they returned to Pride Rock, both grateful just to have made it together. Gone were the days where they could be together, having easily claimed consort status in both the Lowlands and Highlands, the one season they had to spend in the wilds of each. They had been walking on eggshells around Ahadi from the moment they returned, having to abide by the laws their grandfather set against consorts, as their aging father had terrorized everyone for fear that Mufasa would try to claim the throne early, especially given the strong coalition he and Taka had formed. The last king had even managed to darken the start of his reign by injuring Taka and the current king had tried to prepare himself for the smaller lion to regard him differently, as his stature was even larger than Ahadi’s had been, 

Seeing those green eyes darken from playful to weary, the exact way they had when their father was around, as they took in his presence at that moment was heartbreaking. Hearing the startled woof Taka released so close to home also bothered him. Without any thought he rolled onto his back and extended a paw, claws carefully retracted, to swipe playfully at the other lion while puffing, “I’ve missed you.”

Once Taka never would have hesitated to nuzzle him and demand his attention, now he was slow to join him in the shade, and always kept a lion’s worth of space between them. It had also been his first chance to see the remainder of the attack; the scar did nothing but reignite his rage. Ahadi had never been a self reliant lion, barely making it back to his pride from his own time in the wilds during his youth, but Mufasa would have still loved to track him down and end him for daring to raise a paw to his little brother.

Still, they had stayed there talking for the rest of the day, and he had been relieved to see the other lion get progressively more relaxed the longer they were together. Taka never retracted his claws, but that was pretty standard behavior in any wilds, as it was everywhere in the Lowlands, so the habit probably wouldn’t go away instantly after a year on his own trying to heal. 

He had even joined the entire pride for a meal that night, which thrilled Sarabi. Most days he still disappeared after that, but he’d always liked time to himself, so Mufasa had not been worried until the previous night and his wife’s remark.

That Taka would still take off given the blistering heat of today, the king could not help but wonder what the other lion was doing. As the sun began to descend and take it’s heat with it, just as he was getting ready to venture after his brother or wife for an explanation, Nala came running in with Zazu leading her. The king could have sworn that the hornbill went with Sarabi earlier but disregarded the thought to observe the exuberant cub pounce on her mother.

Quickly the cavern was filled with Nala’s chatter as she explained her many daily observations to Sarafina, who snatched her up for a bath, “... and then I found Lord Taka around back but he said it was too hot to play.”

“Right he was,” Sarafina said, “I hope you didn’t bother him.”

“He went to the watering hole anyway, so it couldn’t have been that hot,” the cub informed her mother, “What’s a consort?”

Sarafina froze from the bath, while Mufasa stood abruptly, both making loud demands of the little pale cub.

“How do you know where he went?”

“Where did you hear that word?”

The small female jumped in fright and fell off her mother’s rock, terrified of the booming voice with five hundred pounds behind it suddenly being directed at her, “I… umm… I… then and… umm…”

Several of the lionesses growled at him in warning to watch his temper with a cub who wasn’t even old enough to leave Pride Rock. Releasing small puffs to appease them, Mufasa went over and picked the girl up, placing her back onto Sarafina’s rock. That was enough to make the other lionesses relax along with the cub, who was more confident now that her mother was at her back and they were eye to eye, “Nala, where did you hear that word?”

“Well, I wanted to play with Lord Taka because he was the only one outside, plus he’s the funniest, but he said it was too hot. So, I started playing with a frog,” She explained. Mufasa chuckled as she continued, “Then he found a mouse for me to play with, but it got away. He left and I thought maybe he wouldn’t mind if I went too, so I followed him…”

“Nala!” Sarafina started to scold, the cub’s ears going flat against her head as she tried to make herself small.

“Let her finish,” he commanded.

“I followed him to the watering hole and there were two other lions there…”

“The two sons of King Firash of the Highlands, completing their time in the wilds,” Zazu offered from his perch near the entrance, “The princes Lubanzi and Aasir have been in accordance with the laws.”

“Great Kings, help us if those two have been let loose on the world,” Sarafina muttered but it was fond.

Not happy with where this story was heading but needing to hear the rest, Mufasa nodded for the cub to continue.

“So, I was watching Lord Taka with them but they only called him Scar. That does not seem very nice.”

“So help me, if you put him in danger by getting caught…” The lioness trailed off.

“I did not get caught!” Nala said affronted, “Besides whatever a consort is, I don’t think it’s dangerous. Even when it was getting really hot, the prettiest one, with a gold mane…”

“Aasir, your majesty,” Zazu filled in.

“And doesn’t he know it,” Sarafina offered as an extra.

“He kept jumping around Lord Taka, playing with him and pulling on his mane. They seemed like friends. The big one was nice to him too, but he agreed that it was too hot to play.”

The female glanced back at him mom before starting the next part of the story, moving closer to Mufasa, deciding she’d rather take her chances with him, “Then someone came up behind me in the grass where I was hiding; I almost ran for Lord Taka before I realized that it was Queen Sarabi. She didn’t say anything and we watched them for a long time.”

There was a low growl emitting from Sarafina and Mufasa quickly brought the cub over to his rock, so she could finish her story with just him. The lionesses allowed it, but he saw those closest to him, particularly his mother, lean in closer, impressed with the young cub’s spirit, “They kept playing, well, the pretty one did, forever and ever, and we couldn’t go anywhere. That part was boring, well, maybe it would have been if Lord Taka wasn’t funny. I don’t know what oblivious is but it must be funny, because Lord Taka kept calling the pretty one that and Queen Sarabi laughed; she almost gave us away, twice.”

“You, you are oblivious,” Sarafina growled as Mufasa busted out laughing, then he cut her a look for the commentary as Nala’s ears went back.

“Anyway,” Nala moved on quickly and cautiously, “The pretty one was getting ready to leave with the big one to go hunt and he asked Lord Taka to be his consort. Lord Taka agreed and they left, Queen Sarabi roared ‘I knew it,’ and told Zazu to bring me home.”

Mufasa was in a rage as he fled into the Pride Lands, dusk settling across the kingdom around him. Firash had a consort, his cousin from a previous king’s line, his sons were certainly extremely familiar with the practice and looking to grow their numbers. If his brother had agreed to go with them; Great Kings, they were about to finish their time in the wilds. They’d leave any moment to be welcomed home with the start of the rains. This was it, what Sarabi had spoken the previous night. Some young yahoo would show up to woo Taka away right as he was finally able to fix things. 

Hitting the ground below Pride Rock, Mufasa growled at Zazu, who had flown after him, “Take me to them!”

“This way, sire,” Zazu started flying away, to his surprise, not toward the main watering hole, but one of the many ponds. That made sense, water was water to a young cub, “The foreign princes have not broken any laws.”

Mufasa growled dangerously at him, “My brother is not leaving with them!”

“While the Pride Lands have not allowed consort coalitions for several generations,” the bird started, “This remains the brat’s decision.”

Beyond his rage filled blood lust was that young prince who Zazu had talked down from several fights that did not need to happen. Most of the times he did start a fight that didn’t need to happen, it had been when Zazu used the particular tone of voice.the hornbill just had, and Mufasa just didn’t listen. The king slowed to a stop. He was close now, but still had the distance to get back to speed if he decided it was worth it. 

He was aware that what Ahadi was willing to do to his own brothers and sisters was despicable when the man became king. He and Taka had been the only cubs from that generation to survive, other kingdoms were horrified. He was aware of all of this, what was the bird trying to impart on him.

“I know that,” Mufasa growled, “And two generations are not several.”

“If I may be permitted, your majesty,” Zazu pointed out, “Many consider your reign to count in those generations after a year without change to the laws.”

“My brother hasn’t so much as been in my presence before a moon and a half ago,” Mufasa said, “And even then he looked at me like I was my father and was going to snap at any minute.”

“Perhaps,” the bird suggested as heavily as his beak possibly could, “He already thought you had changed your mind given the passage of time and…”

The bird instantly looked like he’d said too much but that only meant there was more to tell. The king growled, “And what Zazu, what did he tell you?”

“Lord Taka has said nothing to me!” The bird corrected, “I heard a brief comment he made to the queen, during the impending fight as I led Nala away, about you lacking interest due to the... abhorrence on his face. But she quickly corrected him!”

He roared and took off again at top speed, racing through the bush, and didn’t slow until the last trees before the pond were sheltering his presence with their extended shrubbery. Because, if ‘abhorrence’ was not the exact word his brother had used, the king would eat his own tail.

There were mere yards left between him and the occupants, but the wind was with him. The other side of the pond was nothing but tall grass and the only other three males within his territory were all present now. The winds and luck graced him, as his brother had his back toward the grove, instead gazing toward the water… but certainly not at it, that was for sure.

Realizing that he was not about to go charging in might first, Zazu landed next to his paw to observe.

His brother was indeed still at the watering hole with the two foreign princes, and he suddenly felt every minute since Sarabi released Taka from her protection, every second since his mother had tracked his brother down the second day after his release and expressed concern for his skittishness, all that time was bearing down on him at once for an instant. 

The larger of the two had golden fur and a dark mane, it was still short around his head but it was fully grown in. While both larger than his brother Mufasa noted quickly that neither could come close to matching his own stature. Lubanzi, at least that was what he though Zazu called him, was napping on a rock and seemed uninterested in the happenings below him. 

On the ground Taka was lying just outside the water, while another lion stood paws deep on the bank, who tried to goad the older lion into joining him. Nala seemed to have the right idea in calling this Aasir pretty because he certainly was. Deep red fur looked like the morning sky, while his gold mane was like the sun. Overall, his appearance looked like an inverted version of himself, Mufasa thought. 

His mate arrived through the tall grasses. Immediately upon her arrival, those sharp eyes spotted him. Sarabi had probably come to the local water source the second she heard his roar in the area. If there was going to be trouble, these were usually the spots where it started. 

Without so much as a second thought, the lioness caught her best friend’s eyes, and immediately he had been sold out by his own mate. Taka’s back went rigid with the knowledge that he was there, he even saw the dark head tilt in askance of a reason for his arrival. It made him feel better when the lioness offered nothing, as he’d never needed a reason before the attack to show up wherever his brother was, instead she only turned to lay down by the water on the other side. 

Upon accepting that Taka, or Scar, as the young lion was calling him, had no intention of going for a midnight, or early evening, swim, the foreign prince pranced toward his brother and began nuzzling him unabashed. What would have been a growl of irritation flared into a roar of rage when Aasir began to lick Taka, lovingly running his tongue across the scar on his face.

Suddenly the king realized that he had already charged in. His brother had recognized the first echoes of his roar and jumped up, instinctively backing up toward the water to put eyes on what his brother was doing. The two foreign princes had turned to face him, both probably assuming that he was a new rogue in the area, until they got a good look at who had positioned himself between them and Taka. 

“King Mufasa of the Pride Lands,” Zazu started where he had landed on the rock that Lubanzi was vacating, “These are the princes, Lubanzi and Aasir, of the Highlands.”

“It’s an honor to make the king’s acquaintance, of course,” Lubanzi started moving to stand beside his brother, “We were warned that consorts were banned here but not that such behavior was prohibited even in your wilds.”

“It’s not,” Taka was quick to correct him, knowing that was not the kind of king his brother was, He tilted his head at the much larger lion, “What are you doing here?”

He sounded so genuinely confused, like he could not fathom something at that location which could summon Mufasa there. Had he really messed up sharing his intentions that badly? It was with the dark lion’s question that the other two seemed to realize that they were not strangers. 

It was also in that moment the king realized the foreign princes thought Taka was some rogue. They had no idea the two of them were brothers and he would not tolerate that any longer, “I came to collect my little brother.”

It was meant as a form of claim, but sounded condescending even to his own ears. Still, never let it be said that his brother would be talked down to by anyone, “Oh forgive me, your majesty, you’ve done that so often in the last year.”

Sarabi joined them on that side of the pond with an eye roll and quipped, “Well at least it’s progress. Please work out your issues.”

What was happening here became glaringly obvious after a moment of staring at his brother and mate, “You’ve been helping her protect him.”

“Of course,” Sarabi answered, “You would have put a walking target on his back.”

“You didn’t know?” Taka asked.

“Of course not,” Mufasa growled, “I thought you were still avoiding me.”

He watched realization dawn in the other lion’s eyes and it felt like the world was going upside down around the king as the reality struck him as well. Sarabi had taken an injured Taka to her future birth site in a panic, which was why the queen had gone so crazy about the king following her. Since she had kicked Taka out to have Simba, it was still important to keep his established scent in the area to help disguise the cub. 

But his brother still thought Mufasa hadn’t wanted to see him. All because of their stupid father and a stupid scar. He certainly felt things when looking at the mark but never abhorrence. Why hadn’t he just come home if he wanted to? It wasn’t like he needed an…

“Leave,” He commanded the two princes, his red eyes locked on his brother’s green. 

Lubanzi looked ready to take off with haste, but Aasir was still gazing at Taka with hearts in his eyes, “We’re leaving, come with us!!”

All calmness fled him once again, it was replaced with pure rage as he roared and extended his claws, now ready for a fight. Sarabi sat back on her haunches with Taka, clearly marking the two of them as not part of any scrap that was about to break out between the three other males. The signs of a fight clearly disturbed his brother and that was never his goal, but for this little brat to think he was just going to steal Taka away from him, while Mufasa was standing right here!

To be fair, Aasir dropped to his belly instantly, ears going back, while his eyes were wide with shock, as if unsure what he’d done in instigate such a reaction from the king. Lubanzi also went down to his belly and both studied them like they were trying to place something. 

Aasir’s eyes darkened first as he quickly looked in Taka’s direction, ears falling lower, and a depressed woof escaping him, “The lion you spent your time in the wilds with?”

So his brother had told them about his life and relationships, just not who Mufasa actually was, that was telling. The lion had really been planning to run off and leave their family behind. But, upon realizing the king’s own ignorance about his absence from home, the darker brother did not leave the foreign princes in suspense confirming quickly, “My brother.”

“And with that, we are leaving,” Lubanzi told his brother, already turning toward the Highlands and home, as they were welcome to return with the rains that were already late, signalling the start of the next wet season, “When I tell mother where you managed to stick your paws…”

The king let his claws retract as Aasir turned to follow his brother, but the young lion was not quite ready to be done with Taka it appeared, “I’ll wait for you for two days at the boundary.”

He roared again, but the golden maned lion was already trotting away to catch up with his brother, who had turned quickly to see what trouble the younger was causing. Turning toward Taka, Mufasa found those green eyes locked on the retreating forms, instead of absolutely anywhere else. Doubt crossed his mind for the first time since he left home. He’d been so sure that if he could just get here, this could all be fixed, but maybe showing up now wasn’t enough.

When Taka had first been injured he had tried to follow Sarabi everyday, but she had almost taken his head off. The new queen had been more than ready to execute Mufasa and Uru had the circle set for her best friend, when she viewed the mercy shown to Ahadi to be unacceptable. Realizing that for once she was not on his side, Mufasa had cased out the main watering hole without eating or attending to his new duties, just to catch a glimpse of his brother.

Finally, Uru had convinced her eldest son to wait out his wife and then let Taka return to the pride in his own time. She tracked her youngest son down once Sarabi let him move about, but had warned how standoffish he’d become. Mufasa hadn’t wanted to push his brother further away, but it had never been his intention to let the chasm grow. He never had wanted his brother to feel isolated from his pride or like he needed an invitation to come home. 

Falling back on his haunches, ears suddenly too heavy for his head, the king asked, “Did you want to go with them?”

A twitch of the other lion’s ears was all the recognition he would get until the two foreign princes were completely out of sight, “It seemed like the best solution to prevent problems.”

Sarabi stood suddenly with an enraged snarl, “You promised me!”

Taka moved quickly to appease her, “And I was going to stay to see the hairball! I was just going to disappear with the crowd.”

The lioness roared and started pacing aggressively between them, “How could you? You knew that wasn’t what I meant! You’d have just left me? And left your mother… your mother!”

“It had been a moon and a half,” Taka defended, “And you weren’t going to need my help anymore. It seemed like the perfect solution!... I swear it seems like we just had this fight a little while ago!... And you lost then too.”

She sat down and gazed at the two of them for several seconds, obviously trying to figure out how they wound up so close to such a fantastic disaster. Mufasa could acknowledge that if he brother had not joined the pride tonight to bond or in the morning for Simba’s presentation, given his mentality earlier today, their confrontation would not have ended well. 

And he would have found his brother before he got out of the Pride Lands. 

Not finding a good answer in either of their faces, Sarabi stomped around the pond and disappeared the way she’d come. 

“Why do you two make her life so difficult?”

Mufasa turned to face his mother but not before smiling at Taka’s dramatic eye roll. Uru was being led by the same cub he’d love nothing more than to blame all the ruckus on, although she probably saved him a life of things he’d have wished he’d done differently. He was encouraged by her ability to get them here without Taka or Zazu to follow. 

“I was just thinking the same thing, your grace,” a certain hornbill offered from the rock Uru joined him on.

Their eyes rolled in unison, Taka turning to get a drink, “That’s your fault; I wanted to eat him years ago.”

“We heard quite the ruckus on the way here,” Uru informed them, as she gazed at Taka intently, “And your boyfriends are not here?”

Mufasa felt like a fool; his mother had clearly figured out Sarabi and Taka’s game. No wonder his brother had thought that he wasn’t welcome at home. And that first meeting! Taka had been looking at him like he was their father because he was king, not because of his size. If he could just crawl underneath Pride Rock and die it would be too soon. 

“You brought her not knowing if there would be any rogues?” He still huffed at his mother.

The cub in question was chasing a salamander at Taka’s feet and Uru laughed, “Your brother did it, why shouldn’t I?”

He gave the smaller lion and weighted look, almost daring him to try and justify this stunt like he had all his others. The lion genuinely seemed to think it didn’t even require an explanation, “She was bored out of her mind and they weren’t going to hurt her if she was caught.”

“You can’t be sure of that,” Some rogue males took pleasure in that sort of thing. Look at the mess their father had created. 

“Yes, I was,” Taka corrected him quickly, just as he had Lubanzi, “I had been with them for moons, they weren’t going to harm her.”

His little brother used the plural, but Mufasa could all but see the name on the edge of his tongue, “Did you love him?”

The dark maned lion’s head tilted in consideration, “If I’d left with them I could have.”

Mufasa was perplexed by that, “Do you think in leaving you would have escaped me?”

That got his brother’s attention, “No, it hadn’t even occurred to me”

“Oh, they are going to dance around each other all night,” Sarafina’s voice joined them suddenly. 

They glanced over to find her standing there with Zira, another foreign lioness from the Lowlands, with whom she’d made fast friends. The highlander was smiling as her daughter ran over to tell her all about her adventures, “Get the others, we may as well make a night of this.”

Zira took off just as Sarabi returned, bringing a small cub about half Nala’s size, out of the tall grass in her mouth. 

The little guy didn’t even seem to have found his voice yet, although he quickly would, once exposed to the pride, if the tiny mewls he was releasing were any indication. 

Mufasa was filled with excitement and stood quickly; his tail swinging wide, and claws so very carefully retracted around a cub so young. Out of the corner of his eye, the king spotted Taka retract his claws in reverence of the little one as well; it was the first time, as far as the red maned lion was aware that he had done so following the attack. His mood was only slightly dampened when he remembered that his wife’s mood was less than jovial in the aftermath of the day’s revelations. 

Sarabi let the small cub fall to the ground. Simba landed on his haunches with his back to them and released the cutest little woof, finding distaste in his landing, but the queen’s attention did not stray from her mate, “Tell him because I want my life back immediately.”

The cub, curious about who his mother was talking to, turned to face the four adult lions and other cub, who was receiving a bath. He seemed calm enough in the face of Taka and the lionesses, but upon catching sight of his overly exuberant father, the little guy took a running dive to shelter behind his uncle. 

Amid the adults’ happy laughter, herself included, Sarabi noted that this was an odd choice for a cub. Even on the smaller side for a male lion, her best friend still easily had fifty to seventy pounds on any lioness in the pride, and a full mane that could intimidate a young cub who had never seen one before. Nala had not relaxed around Mufasa for two days after Sarafina brought her into the pride.

“Have the two of you met,” Sarabi demanded as Simba became brave enough to sit underneath Taka, the lion having sat on his haunches by the water. Her son seemed a little too content to sight see at his father from the safe haven underneath his uncle, purring at the living shelter. 

Taka rolled his eyes, “We may have had a brief introduction about half a moon cycle ago.”

Everyone in his family gave the lion inquisitive looks, so he elaborated, “It was right after you caught him venturing from the site for the third time and the hunting party had that unsuccessful night.”

Sarabi groaned remembering that day, while Sarafina grimaced for the queen, remembering her return to Pride Rock to collapse for sleep, “Never seen a lioness more in need of a break.”

“You had just finished checking on him, I can only assume he followed you here, before you left to sleep it off. Aasir and Lubanzi were out hunting,” Mufasa growled, not liking the mere mention of the two, but thought better of it as Simba buried closer into his uncle, nervous about the show of irritation. Taka rolled his eyes but put a paw around his nephew, “I let him wear himself out chasing things; it didn’t take long. And then put him back.”

He had seen the bold cub warm up to him quite quickly, so instead of letting him be timid, Taka pushed out into the open with the same paw. The cub woofed at him, unhappy by his safe haven’s betrayal, although he quickly was emboldened to investigate his father, albeit cautiously. 

Mufasa got onto his belly and attempted to make himself seem smaller. It was a moot point if you asked his mother, but Simba quickly realized that the giant of a lion meant him no harm. The large mane around his head was just another thing to pull on.

Sarabi was calmer as everyone cooed over her son, but when she saw Zira returning with their hunting party, she knew what would soothe her remaining restlessness, “I’m going to hunt. Fix this before I get back.”

Uru stayed behind to watch the cubs and her sons; unsure of who was going to be more troublesome. With her mother gone hunting, Nala’s eyes had locked on Simba, and the chase was on between them. Losing his son’s attention, Mufasa’s gaze had returned to his little brother.

“There was a plan,” he started explaining immediately upon their departure, heeding the warning under his mat’s words, “We were going to dedicate Simba to you tomorrow and change the laws.”

“Huh,” was all Taka offered as he tried to reconcile that information with the last few hours, then the last season, and finally the last year. 

The king shook his head, finally getting up to nuzzle his brother with a chuckle, “Did you really think you would have left without saying goodbye to mother or Sarabi?”

“That was the plan,” Taka told him assuredly. 

He laughed again, “Of course it was. But if you stood in the crowd, knowing she thought you’d broken your promise to attend, you would have been tempted closer. And I would have found you.”

“And had a right temper tantrum, I’m sure,” Taka mocked confidently, moving to get away from the playing cubs.

Honestly, Mufasa wasn’t sure what he would have done if Taka hadn’t come home tonight and the king had not been able to spot him in the crowd. Never would he have hurt his brother, but their confrontations had long since been legendary throughout the Pride Lands, a jousting of brain and brawn that Sarabi had cursed herself to manage. Would his brother have left, refusing to engage him for once in their lives? Would he have confessed about Aasir and his plans to leave their life and pride together behind him? Or would any fight they would have had been just as misguided as their first conversation after the attack?

“In what world would I not have come after you?”

“Mine,” Taka offered too easily, still trying to find a place out of the way from the game of cat and mouse erupting at their feet, “Where you didn’t want me anymore and if I stayed I was only going to become resentful.”

“So you were trying to escape me?” The scarlet maned lion asked, rising to all four feet behind his brother.

“As I said, it hadn’t even occurred to me.”

Suddenly the world went topsy turvy as five hundred pounds, at least, hauled the dark maned lion from his feet, only to descend on top of him, keeping Taka effectively pinned on his back, “And what does that mean, little brother?”

“Great Kings, someone find Sarabi and tell her to take the night off immediately.”

Uru smiled at the cubs, who had scattered behind her rock when the collective ton of lions shook the ground with their tumbling. Her oldest son ignored the barb and waited patiently for his brother to answer the question. Fatherhood was going to do wonders for their communication with each other, although getting here was a long time coming. The previous queen was no fool. After one meal talk had spread fast about the other prince’s return and Mufasa was all but old news. Her youngest would soon see more attention than he was ready for, despite only ever having eyes for his brother most of his life.

“I only meant, you colossal brute, that it never occurred to me that I needed to escape you. You had changed, not me, at least in some ways… I was only moving onto a phase of life without you in it.”

“You thought I would have just let you leave?”

“Of course,” Taka said automatically. 

Mufasa let out a mighty roar and the smaller lion would have jumped if he wasn’t pinned down. The cubs, who had just come out of hiding, realizing that the lions were playing to some extent, rethought their assumptions and took off. This time they joined Uru on her rock, so that the lioness could protect them from the commotion. 

The king was shocked that his brother thought he had just stopped caring. Of course, to some extent wasn’t that what happened to their father? They had been born at the very end of their grandfather’s reign and Ahadi had been a very different lion before he assumed the mantle. The attack and politics must have been so easily conflated for Taka, especially given Sarabi’s over protectiveness and her trials as a new queen. The female had been well connected to the pride through her hunting party, but without Mufasa putting his foot down and demanding his brother’s location that first year, who had his brother been connected to beyond her?

Coming out of his own thoughts, Mufasa found himself lost in green eyes that were still weary. Smiling he rubbed their foreheads together and muttered, “I would chase you to no end, never will I stray or dare bend. Be you steady as the running river, before my might never quiver. There is no escape, in our shared life abide, for you are my love, and heart, and pride.”

He felt the smaller lion relax beneath him for the first time, letting the king’s weight fully disperse on top of him, no longer geared for a fight or ready to defend himself at any moment. Feeling the other lion return his scent marking, Mufasa was emboldened to scatter him with affectionate licks. When that was not resisted by Taka, he finally succumbed to the urge to run an affectionate tongue over the scar around his eye. 

Taka opened his eyes as realization struck him like a blow, “Was that what did it earlier?”

“Does it matter?” He asked his brother. Mufasa could feel the smaller lion trying to get his legs back into a stance to push the king’s underbelly, suddenly panicked. Taka may not be able to move his sheer size, but easily could have made him uncomfortable until he moved, if he hadn’t relaxed. Now, the king only put a little more emphasis on his position, reminding the other lion that they were stuck until this conversation was finished, because he was not moving.

“Did what earlier?” Uru asked from her rock, where she was giving Simba a bath now. Nala was sitting next to her, also watching them fascinated.

“Oh please,” Taka started, always getting the most sarcastic when in an uncomfortable position, He tilted his head back to look at his mother, “Your son may be a brute, but he’s usually a philosophical brute. When he does vocalize everyone takes notice.”

The younger lion looked back at his big brother, relaxing back into the wet sand, if unhappily, knowing he was stuck, “You sounded off once, it sounded like coming from home. I thought the stupid hyenas were trying to sneak in again. Then it sounded like you were right on top of us, I thought someone had found Simba. Sarabi showed up, so I knew that wasn’t it, and she let me know that you were here. Suddenly you were charging in all ready for a fight, all because he licked me?”

Mufasa was grateful for the night sky helping to hide his embarrassment, but still he ran his head across his brother’s eye again, “That’s true to some extent.” 

“I’ve missed something,” and for Taka to admit that he was beyond curious, “What made you show up here, anyway?”

“Nala and Sarabi overheard you agreeing to be Aasir’s consort,” he growled at the very thought.

Taka gave an exasperated puff, “I figured that was why she came charging in making me swear to be at the presentation before she took off. I didn’t think that it would mean anything to the little one.”

“It didn’t,” Mufasa admitted, still growling and aggressively scent marking his brother, “That’s why she asked what it meant.”

“Ahh,” Taka understood now that he had a frame for the conversation, “Anyway he came charging in with bird beak and sent the two back to the Highlands, effective immediately.”

“Honestly, Mufasa. I was from the Highlands, you could have been a little more diplomatic,” Uru told her son, “Letting possessiveness get the better of you is unbecoming.”

“Quite right, mother,” Taka said as his brother ignored her, continuing to run his tongue over the scar, “Will you stop that! It’s…”

The pause was so minute that many probably wouldn’t have heard it, but Taka always knew exactly what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it, so Mufasa caught the slight hitch, “What? Abhorrent?”

Taka froze beneath him, the cover word ‘annoying’’ dying on his tongue, and the two stared at one another. Mufasa could see his brother doing a mental reduction to figure out who would have been around to reproduce knowledge of the younger lion’s argument with Sarabi. The queen hadn’t had time and he had been aware of Nala’s presence, the cub would not have picked up the word’s meaning, or found it important, as she thought about facing her mother at home, “ZAZU!”

“Good night, sire,” the bird offered already flying off to his nest, “Afraid I must be going! Early day tomorrow!” 

“I’m going to tear that hornbill’s beak off!”

Mufasa laughed, “We’ve been saying that since childhood. Somehow he always gets away.”

The prince gazed at his big brother, “Are you ever going to get off me?”

“In three days,” Mufasa assured him.

The brains of their coalition snorted, “You realize he had no idea?”

The king growled, “He put it together fairly quickly for someone that oblivious.”

Taka shrugged as best he was able, “I hadn’t lied to them. I told them about my childhood and time in the wilds. He knew there had been someone else while I was completing my initial time there. Since he didn’t think you practiced consort coalitions, it made sense that he wouldn’t put it together, just from us being brothers.”

Roars broke off in the distance signalling the lionesses’ success. Uru started leading the children, Nala showing Simba how to follow her tail. 

The king should have taken off, as everyone had to wait for him. Still, Mufasa stared at his brother for another moment, finally alone with him, “You aren’t going to leave with them now, are you?”

“No,” Taka assured, feeling so at peace for the first time in over a year, “I’m with you.”


End file.
